How to Write an Outline for an Essay Depending on Its Type

You have probably written a fair share of basic essays back in school without ever bothering to outline them first. Maybe you even were one of those lucky few who could pull the topics from the air and write cohesive texts without any preparation at all. However, papers become more formal at the university level, so this happy-go-lucky attitude is no longer an option – even for those of us who have a knack for words.

That means you have to plan your papers and outline their structure before you start writing. An outline is not an empty formality but rather a valuable tool to organize your thoughts and create a better, more eloquent paper.

In this post, we will explore the basic rules of composing outlines for essays and look in detail at how to write an essay outline for college depending on the particular essay’s type.

What Is an Essay Outline?

An essay outline is a layout of your paper’s structure expressed in short sentences summarizing each paragraph. It does sound a lot like a table of contents, and indeed, they are very similar. In English, these terms sometimes are used interchangeably. However, an outline is something you create to map out your future text before it is written, whereas a table of contents represents a structure of finished work.

That is why an outline is a more free-form and dynamic document than a table of contents. You don’t have to include titles of your sections but rather summarize the main idea expressed in each one in a manner most convenient to you. This can be informal notes, shorthand, or even emoticons – as long as they make sense to you. At least, that’s how things are for an informal outline. It is merely a writing tool destined for your eyes only. You can play around and rearrange parts of your outline to create a logical structure or an emotional build-up for more impact.

On the other hand, a formal outline must be concise and flawlessly formatted. It is meant to be submitted for feedback and can be assigned by your instructor as a preparatory stage of writing an important paper. A formal outline is still a writing tool, but you are not the only reader, so it’s formalized for clarity.

So, what does an essay outline look like? For a classic, 5-paragraph essay, the template would look like this:

Introduction

1. Attention-grabbing hook
2. Background information
3. Thesis statement

Point 1

1. Topical sentence
2. Explanation
3. Evidence

Point 2

1. Topical sentence
2. Explanation
3. Evidence

Point 3

1. Topical sentence
2. Explanation
3. Evidence
4. Conclusion

Of course, this is just a barebones template. For an existing topic, you would need to flesh out more concrete statements.

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Dos and Don’ts Writing an Essay Outline

Before we get down to step-by-step instructions, here is a quick reminder of what a good essay outline is – and what it isn’t.

DO:

• Be brief – only use your outline to map out crucial goals and signposts; outlining is supposed to keep you from rambling aimlessly, not enable it.
• Add notes with citation info and other handy pointers – they will come in handy when you start writing.

DON’T:

• Write your entire essay in this shorthand style – regular outlining makes you think and write in bullet points, which is not always beneficial. You might think that a certain point is obvious, but it can be cryptic for your audience, requiring expansion.
• Make your outline too specific – an elaborate rigid structure can be limiting instead of helpful.

How to Make an Outline for an Essay Step by Step

Now, let’s break down the process of creating an outline.

Step 1: Do preliminary research

Unless you are already an expert on the topic, you should first assess the available information. It’s like building a house. Before you begin designing a blueprint, you must first learn what materials you have at your disposal. The available information will also guide you to the possible gap in knowledge.

Step 2: Figure out your goal

Once you’ve identified the gap or decided on your original take on the topic, you can set the goal of your essay. What do you set out to achieve with it? What’s its main point?

Step 3: List all the points you want to make

Now brainstorm the ideas you’d like to explore within this topic. Don’t bother organizing them just yet. List them as they come to you.

Step 4: Organize your points into categories

Group similar or related points together and think about one overarching theme that unites them. The points represent paragraphs, while the unifying theme is the bigger section of your essay. You can see how the structure of your future essay emerges.

Step 5: Rearrange the information

Now put everything on the list in a logical order. The particular arrangement of the points within the body depends on the essay’s type, but you must already know what fits best in the introduction and the conclusion.

Step 6: Revise and get rid of the irrelevant

You have a plan of writing before you. Now you can assess the prospective length of your essay based on the number of paragraphs and compare it with the word count from the assignment guidelines. Reduce the number of points to the crucial ones if the essay promises to be too long. Bolster it with the additional points if it seems deficient.

How to Write an Argumentative Essay Outline

To make your argument persuasive, you must first craft an informative outline that shows how you will build your case. A template for the outline depends on the type of argumentative essay you have chosen. There are three most common types:

Classical (Aristotelian)

One of the most often used types of argument is classical. It is modeled on Aristotle’s rules of rhetorical persuasion with Logos, Ethos, and Pathos. It is straightforward and aggressive, basing the argument directly on the writer’s character and authority. The template for this type’s outline would look like this:

Introduction

1. Attention-grabbing hook
2. Background information
3. Proposition (thesis statement)

Proof of the proposition

1. Evidence 1
2. Evidence 2
3. Evidence 3

Refutation of possible opposing arguments

1. Evidence 1
2. Evidence 2
3. Evidence 3

Conclusion

1. Summary of your argument
2. Appeal to the audience to take your side

Rogerian

This type of argument is more subtle. It uses diplomacy to persuade opponents by exploring opposing views and offering a compromise. This model was suggested by psychologist Carl Rogers and is often used to resolve acute conflicts of sensitive nature. An outline template for Rogerian argument looks like this:

Introduction

1. Presentation of the problem
2. Summary of the views of one side of the conflict
3. Summary of the views of the opposing side
4. Statement of understanding (both perspectives are valid, and there is a possibility of consensus)

Statement of your position

1. Topical sentence
2. Explanation
3. Evidence

Statement of context (paint a situation in which your position is the most reasonable)

1. Topical sentence
2. Explanation
3. Examples

Statement of benefit (show how your solution will benefit each side of the argument)

1. Topical sentence
2. Explanation
3. Examples

Conclusion

1. Summary of your argument
2. Appeal to the audience to find common ground

Toulmin

Used chiefly in academia and named after a British philosopher – Stephen Toulmin, this type of argument is the most rational and measured. The outline for it looks the following way:

Introduction

1. Data (background information)
2. Claim (your thesis)

Warrants

1. Piece of data 1 that supports the claim
2. Piece of data 2 that supports the claim
3. Piece of data 3 that supports the claim (and so on)

Qualifiers

1. Condition 1 under which your claim is true
2. Condition 2 under which your claim is true
3. Condition 3 under which your claim is true (and so on)

Rebuttals

1. Condition 1 under which your claim is false
2. Condition 2 under which your claim is false
3. Condition 3 under which your claim is false (and so on)

Backing

1. Argument 1 that supports your warrant 1
2. Argument 2 that supports your warrant 2
3. Argument 3 that supports your warrant 3 (and so on)

Most argumentative college assignments require you to take a well-defined position and defend it, so the most suitable type is Classical. However, if you want to see how other models can be applied to your topic, request a customized sample from our essay writing service. Our writers are experienced in all kinds of academic and creative writing!

How to Do an Outline for an Essay About Cause and Effect

A cause and effect essay is a piece of academic writing that investigates the reasons behind a particular phenomenon or the consequences entailed by it. For example, what factors caused climate change or what effects global warming has on wildlife, public health, weather, etc. The structure of this essay variety is a bit different from those above. There are two main types: block structure and chain structure.

The template for block-structured cause-and-effect essay outline looks something like this:

Introduction

1. Attention-grabbing hook
2. Background information
3. Explanation of the phenomenon

Causes of the phenomenon

1. Cause 1
2. Cause 2
3. Cause 3

Effects of the phenomenon

1. Effect 1
2. Effect 2
3. Effect 3

Conclusion

1. Summary of causes
2. Summary of effects
3. Your opinion/prognosis

The chain-structure cause-and-effect essay explores the mechanisms of causality more closely. The outline for this essay type will look like this:

Introduction

1. Attention-grabbing hook
2. Background information
3. Thesis statement

Aspect 1 of the phenomenon

1. Cause 1
2. Effect 1

Aspect 2 of the phenomenon

1. Cause 2
2. Effect 2

Aspect 3 of the phenomenon

1. Cause 3
2. Effect 3

Conclusion

1. Restatement of the thesis
2. Proposed solution
3. Prognosis

How to Outline Rhetorical Analysis Essay

A rhetorical analysis essay makes you look at the expressive means behind the text, speech, visual content, etc. It also investigates the author’s intent, delivery context, intended audience, medium used, etc. To perform a good rhetorical analysis, here is a possible outline you may follow:

Introduction

1. Presentation of the analyzed piece and its author
2. Background information about the cultural context
3. Thesis statement (your take on the analyzed piece and its significance; does it achieve its goal or not?)

Analysis of the structure

1. Topical sentence
2. Explanation
3. Examples from the text

Analysis of rhetorical moves

1. Topical sentence
2. Explanation
3. Examples from the text

Analysis of the tone

1. Topical sentence
2. Explanation
3. Examples from the text

Conclusion

1. Restatement of the thesis
2. The broader context for the thesis: why the findings of your analysis are significant

Of course, the body of your essay may include more paragraphs depending on the number of aspects you want to focus on in your analysis. This is just an example. If the text you analyze provides enough material, you may want to look into each rhetorical move in detail.

How to Write a Narrative Essay Outline

A narrative essay recounts a story, usually from the first-person perspective, giving the account of the writer’s personal experience. It is rooted in reality but uses creative means of expression. As such, the narrative essay’s outline shares many elements with a classical dramatic arc:

Introduction

1. A narrative hook (shocking introduction by a flash-forward, intriguing inconsistency, provocative statement, etc.)
2. Set up of the story and introduction of main characters

Story

1. Inciting incident
2. Rising action
3. Climax
4. Resolution

Conclusion

1. The personal significance of the events described
2. Lessons that can be drawn from the story

Of course, your outline may look different if you decide to follow a non-linear plot for emotional or artistic effect. This is just a representation of a classical structure.

How to Create an Outline for an Essay in the Expository Format

An expository essay is one of the most common assignments. Its goal is to explain the topic objectively: explore an idea, present a phenomenon, event, or process in detail, without voicing an opinion or attempting to persuade the audience. Hence, the outline for this type of essay is very straightforward:

Introduction

1. Attention-grabbing hook
2. Background information
3. Thesis statement (summary of what you will explore in the main body)

Aspect 1 of your subject

1. Topical sentence
2. Explanation
3. Examples

Aspect 2 of your subject

1. Topical sentence
2. Explanation
3. Examples

Aspect 3 of your subject

1. Topical sentence
2. Explanation
3. Examples

Conclusion

1. A broad summary of main points
2. Key takeaway on the topic (what knowledge your audience must walk away with from your essay)

As you can see, outlining is not as hard as it seems. Moreover, it makes further work on your essay easier, giving you a roadmap to follow. Use the templates we have provided for each essay type, but don’t feel restricted by them. Change the structure, expand the number of paragraphs, or add your own structural elements – whichever works best for your topic. Outline and conquer!